Last update: 08.10.2020

Many people know about the game roulette from movies, theater, books and several other places. However, a majority of us don’t know the rules and intricacies of the game. To fully appreciate the game or even be able to play, it is essential that you understand the rules for playing it. Take a look at our beginners guide to the rules of playing roulette. We will discuss the basic structural rules, describe some other elements of the game and make a note on online roulette. Read on for further insight regarding roulette and its rules for beginners.

Basis of the game

If you’re a complete newbie to this casino game, roulette is played on a spinning disk with some divisions and it revolves around a bowl base. Basically, the game requires you to make a bet guessing where the ball will land. One of the fascinating things about roulette is the variety you have in terms of betting options and payouts and odds.

Playing by the rules – Rules of roulette for beginners

Now that you understand the game basics, we are going to discuss some of the structural elements and rules of roulette. First of all, the betting phase is allowed before the ball begins to drop. The dealer will then call for the end of betting. However there are some who allow for the betting to continue when the ball is in motion.

After the ball arrives at the slot, the dealer will call the winners and they are paid: and the dealer clears all losing bets.

The fine etiquette of roulette

Apart from the rules of playing the game, there are many unofficial rules to this game. Even though they are purely for etiquettes sake, these rules are to be followed. For instance if you are attending the game as a watcher, you must sit at the table. Players are encouraged to place their bets as quickly as they can so everyone has the chance to wager before the dealer calls for an end of bets.

Wheel and table layout in roulette

There are several playing elements in roulette that make this easy game seem complex to many people. To start us off is the number sequences used in roulette. In fact, to a complete novice, they are completely confusing. These numbers are carefully designed and placed to ensure the following happens:

Confusion: Because your eyes aren’t used to the random sequence of numbers, you get completely overwhelmed and as a result, miss any biases that might help you place the best possible bet. Don’t worry; you’ll get over that confusion the longer you play the game.

Distribution: No slot will be adjacent to a similarly colored block. This red and black alternation is absolute. The high and low numbers must alternate as frequently as possible. However, this alternation varies depending on which type of sequence wheel you’re using. Unlike the American wheel, the European wheel does a great job at this except for the slot 5 and 10. Lastly even and odd numbers must be well distributed to ensure odds aren’t next to other odds. On the European wheel for example doesn’t have any more than two odds or evens next to each other.

The American Wheel

Designed with the double zero slot, this is the sequence that offers the greatest casino advantage among other sequences. This addition increases the number of slots to 38; the other 36 run from 1-36. Reading the sequence of numbers clockwise looks something like this: 0, 28, 9, 26, 30, 11, 7, 20, 32, 17, 5, 22, 34, 15, 3, 24, 36, 13, 1, 00, 27, 10, 25, 29, 12, 8, 19, 31, 18, 6, 21, 33, 16, 4, 23, 35, 14, 2

The European Wheel

Unlike the American sequence, the European sequence includes 37 pockets including the single zero slot. With this, the European sequence has a significantly lower house edge. Looking at the European sequence clockwise you can expect: 0, 32, 15, 19, 4, 21, 2, 25, 17, 34, 6, 27, 13, 36, 11, 30, 8, 23, 10,5, 24, 16, 33, 1, 20, 14, 31, 9, 22, 18, 29, 7, 28, 12, 35, 3, 26

A note on the roulette table

The roulette table is pretty much standard across all types of roulette. However there’s one difference in that the American table has an extra on account of the extra zero in their sequence. You can also see the inside and outside bets quite clearly on the table.

Online roulette

This is a new variation of roulette that has quickly become popular over the years. One of the reasons for its popularity is the luxury of playing it from anywhere. The game is basically the same and gives you the choice of playing your variation of choice, American or European.

One of the biggest differences between Online and Live casino roulette is the selection of the wining number. On these online sites, the winning number is selected randomly by the RNG algorithm that uses a complex system to generate random numbers.

With the information we’ve provided, you should have a working knowledge of the major rules you’d need to successfully play this game. The guidelines we have discussed are sufficient for every beginner to understand the game even better.

7 Funny and Interesting Facts about Roulette

Both experienced and new bettors always try playing roulette at one point. There are a lot of funny and interesting facts surrounding the game. Before you play roulette, here is what you should know.

  • Roulette is nicknamed the devil’s game

Some people believe that the person who came up with this game was inspired by the devil. The numbers on the roulette wheel also total to 666.

  • The game was introduced back in the 17th century

Roulette is a game that has been passed down to generations. It is believed to be among the oldest casino games that still exist today. The name roulette refers to the French term for the “little wheel.”

  • Ashley Revel sold all his belongings and used the money to bet on roulette

This man made history since he used all his money to bet on roulette at Plaza casino. He is believed to have spent about $ 135,000 betting on the game and ended up winning.

  • California roulette

Every region has some gambling laws that both casino owners and players alike are expected to follow. In California, the laws are a bit different from what other regions have since here, the only device in gambling is a deck of cards. Since the device is mostly used when playing roulette in a wheel, it means that playing this game in California is prohibited.

  • 17

If you are a fan of James Bond, then you probably know that 17 is the number that is commonly played on the wheel.

  • The chances of hitting black or red are 50/50

Many people assume that when a black number of hits, a red number has to follow on the next spin. This assumption is wrong.

  • You should not drink while playing roulette

You can enjoy a few drinks when playing games such as baccarat or blackjack but not roulette.